Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Poppill, Popple, n. [e.m.E. and late ME popill (north, c 1400), -ulle (c 1425), -ylle (Cath. Angl.), pople (1538), mod. Eng. dial. popple, of doubtful origin, ? a parallel formation to Cokle n., or ? related to poppy. Also in later Sc. as papple.] The corn weed, cockle. = Cokle n. (‘Taken metaphorically for the darnel or tares sown by the Evil One among the wheat’ (OED) (e.m.E., a 1532), as was cockle from OE times.) Only in allusive or fig. contexts. —(1) a1568 Bann. MS. 80 a/46.
We leif evin as our crede …, Thus weidit is the poppill fra the corne c1590 J. Stewart 65/7.
I do bot mix the poppill vith guid quhyt … ether till intend 1602 Colville Paraenese 26. —
Sche is callit a feild in vhilk the poppill and tares grou vp vyth the good grane(2) 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 15/31.
Puritanes … hauing … come in Scotland, to sowe their popple amongst vs 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 67.
The blinde, blooddie, restlesse seminarie … sowing always where he commeth … his poysoned, and poysoning popple